Positioned as an all-day Red Rapparee, this is an oriental-forward blend that lives up to its billing.

I haven't yet tried a Rattray's English/Scottish (or, for that matter, Virginia) blend that I haven't enjoyed, and this offering continues that trend. While I enjoy orientals, Red Rapparee steps just one toe over the "harshness" line for me, making it a much less frequent choice in my rotation. 7 Reserve offers a similar balance of flavors, but takes a couple of steps back, making it a smoother and, for me, slightly richer (and more rewarding) smoke.

If you like orientals (including latakia) and aren't prejudiced against (unflavored) cavendish, 7 Reserve is a winner.

My tin had only two years of age on it, so I'm guessing it wasn't much different than what you'd get fresh today.

First thing when I lit up, the comments I most heard from friends around me was something akin to "God I thought my Granddad had come back from the grave!" which I took as an extreme complement as I gravitate towards the old style blends. I can very highly recommend Rattray 7 Reserve to anyone who desirers a no nonsense, old fashioned, pleasant, middle of the road smoke without too much orientals\Latakia that make you feel like you've just put out a forest fire in British Columbia! Rattray 7 Reserve hits that perfect spot that satisfies but doesn't overwhelm the senses or offend others in the room around you. Soft notes of ripened damson and other late autumnal flavours emanate from the tin when first opened. It can be a hot August day and I will still think of the first time I tried 7 Reserve. For me when I partake of a bowl (or two) of Reserve 7 I am transported back to a rainy evening in late October. I would recommend this blend most highly to anyone curious about "English" blends especially if moving from aromatic blends as they is still plenty to keep you interested. Perhaps you will be like me and have to pass on the 50g tins and just order the 100g tins from your online tobacconist.

Appearance: A mostly light and medium mixture, with a small amount of dark leaf present. The cut is mixed ribbon and random pieces.

Aroma: Lots of Virginia base, with a moderate amount of Turkish and just a little Latakia The aroma seems to be primarily that of Virgnias, with a smaller amount of condiments.

Packing: Packs easily in most pipes, group 3 and up.

Lighting: Lights easily, this seems to be true of most Rattray Oriental blends today.

Initial flavor: The Va comes across first, but not too assertively. The Turkish adds a fair amount of flavor soon after, and the Latakia stays slightly in the background..

Mid-bowl: A classic Mild English/Oriental blend. I would classify it as considerably milder than medium (3.5 or 4 on a scale of 10,), but a gentle beguiling flavor. No gurgles noted. The Va, Turkish and Latakia continue to be the key players.

Finish: Well behaved right to the end, leaves a gray ash and nothing else.

Summary: Considerably lighter than Red Raparee, somewhat lighter than #3 Noggins. Also somewhat heavier than Dunhill Sd. Mild. A very good first pipe, or an all-day smoke in warm and/or humid weather.

The opened tin begrudgingly gives up the subtle aromas of this tobacco. Sweet and sour, cereal and hay scents, from the rich, warm Virginia. Small doses of Latakia and Orientals balance nicely. Fermented notes, rum cake, hard cider, dried figs, graham crackers, sweet smoke, fresh tar, and dark, dusty notes. The light, but complex, aroma of this stuff is very nice.

Don't over pack the bowl and it will light and burn great.

In the mouth, 7 Reserve delivers very tasty Oriental / Virginia flavors. Fresh , sweet, salty, flinty (almost metallic) notes, faint molasses and leather. Very faint sweet floral note - like honeysuckle. Occasional hints of powdered cocoa. A fairly easy smoke, fast puffing WILL get you burned, but not too much of a problem to control. Gets fuller and better as the bowl burns down.

Hmmm... The first things I tasted in this blend is it's similarity to Red Rapparee. I think it's an excellent tin description. Similar virginia/oriental English blend but softer and easier to smoke. Red Rapparee and Black Mallory are great complex blends but can smoke hot/harsh. This blend has a character similar to Red Rapparee but is softer smoking and a little more focused on sweet tasting virginias.

I really like this blend and will probably smoke two tins a year, which is quite a bit for me given the other tobaccos I smoke.

As far as smoking it all day, I think that would scorch your tounge seriously! (So would Red Rapparee for that matter)

A quality mild-medium english blend. Virginia is not as sweet as with Squadron Leader, so that remains my Number 1 tobacco in this category. That being said, this is a solid choice and I'd reccomend giving it a try if you're a fan of mild-medium English mixtures.

This blend has a good deep scent in the tin and it packs and burns very well. upon lighting it was very mild and a bit bland initially. However, as others have said, once you've smoked the first quarter or so, the blend starts to build body and the orientals kick in and add some nice spice. I found it a bit lighter on the Lat than I was expecting and it never really hit the spot for me as regards a full bodied flavour, but as a mild English(ish) blend for an everyday smoke it's a perfectly good bowlful.

Just prior to writing this review, I pondered the point of recommendations. To remain consistent with my other reviews, my recommendation is for how I liked it, but I'm not sure that's fair. I think tobaccos should be judged on their own merits and how well they do what they set out to do.

This is a blend for the oriental/latakia beginner or for the smoker who wants a light, airy blend for all day. In that, this blend succeeds admirably. Yes, I find it dull and bland but not nearly as wimpy as Dunhill Early Morning Pipe, a blend close to this in lineage. The blend is just too lacking in personality, with its wisp of latakia and muted orientals. As with EMP, none of the component tobaccos really asserts itself here. And I think that's the point.

I do not particularly care for this but for beginners and "all-day" smokers, this just might be the ticket. For those folks, this earns 4 stars. For me, two is more than enough.

This is the first Rattray's tobacco I'm smoking. Took over a year for me to gather a courage to open this tin. Nice ribbon cut, mostly light but with some dark pieces in the mix. The tin aroma is an interesting one, I smell mostly tar like scent with some hay aroma.

Packs very easily. I used standard 3 layer method.

Lighting is not a problem. But the pipe goes out very frequently. Smokes quite hot. Don't know what's the reason behind it, maybe cavendish or the packing is too loose. Moisture level seems just right. Even when puffing slowly, this tobacco just burns hot.

To me this feels like kind of a bland english mixture. Virginias are somewhat subdued, orientals are there but more in the background. They come out a bit after half of the bowl is finished. Overally the taste is a bit ash-like. Room note is somewhat tolerable.

Wouldn't call this an all day smoke, but it would work for an introduction to a novice english tobacco smoker. Of course you cannot rate objectively by smoking just one tin so take this review with a grain of salt.

Appearance is a mix of light and medium brown ribbons. Tin smells of dried fruits with a light tartness. Tastes of dates, cedar, incense.

While I can not see this as a lighter Red Raparree, it is an excellent blend on its own. Lovely light sweetness and a frankincense and myrrh note. While I would rather have RR in my pipe, 7 Reserve is very nice indeed and I recommend it.

This blend was developed for the all day puffer. But it bites and smokes rough, in my opinion. I much prefer RR and PM; both of which have the finesse that this blend lacks. RR is much milder than past versions, which makes it an excellent all day blend.

A decent lightweight inoffensive English, gathers body and spice as it progresses down the bowl, but always creamy and tasty. Similar purpose but very different in execution to Dunhill's EMP in my mind. Less English, but smoother, milder, sweeter but not artificially so. Recommended as a morning smoke or for recent English converts.

50g tin. As advertised, an all day mild Latakia mixture. The Orientals drive this blend with Virginia and Black Cavendish in the background. Also perfect for smokers who want to try a Latakia mixture for the first time, or for a change of pace. Too mild for me as I prefer fuller mixtures.

"Smooth milk chocolate with a little refreshing mint" would be a good analogy.

I found Red Rapparee boring. The different flavours blended together to one, too compact for my taste. Not so with 7 Reserve. I'm not much for Cavendish, but it's held back here and the Virginia and Oriental stands out more. Just enough Latakia to give this blend a refreshing coolness, without owerpowering the other tobaccos.

I really enjoy Red Rapparee so I had high hopes for 7 Reserve. I found it to be somewhat bland. I enjoy latakia, but not in large doses so 7 Reserve's lack of flavor wasn't a result of a light dose of Latikia. I found to to be a nice ribbon cut with a pleasant tin aroma, but that's where my interest ended. I'll finish or blend the rest of the 100 gram tin, but I won't buy any more. Two stars as it may be a good intro English for some smokers.

As usual rattray uses top notch tobacco in no 7. As a smoker who prefers virginia blends I like no 7 as a change of pace. Just enough latakia to give me a pleasant change of pace without over doing it.

I think other reviewers have missed the point on No. 7. If you want a strong latakia go for a stronger blend. No. 7 delivers exactly what it promises- an english blend but mellowed for all day smoking. Rattrays always delivers expert blending and the best tobacco.

This is a good all day smoke if you don´t like dunhill tobaccos, due to this special latakia smell. This blend has a light latakia smell coming out of the tin. If you smoke it, the smell is tolerable and not too overpowering. I like to smoke it in large bowls, lazing around in the homeoffice or with my books, a good drink or some tea, doing some paperworks. If I like a change of pace with this kind of tobacco I would prefer Squadron Leader, Old Dublin etc. But 7 reserve is by no means a pleaser. Easy to pack, easy to smoke, so a good reference for beginners or people who want to try a good english blend.

This is a classic, simple and satisfying English mixture. Very easy to pack and smoke. You can puff it all day long if you like. Gentle and tasty.

If you look for a stronger blend this one can dissapoint you. The latakia addition seems to be subtile here. The overall blend is nicely proportioned for my taste. As the other English blends I prefer it to smoke occasionaly.

The quality of the leaf raised my expectations, perhaps, a bit too high. I found this to be exceedingly hot and in no time was suffering from a bad case of tongue bite. Although I did not detect any sort of casing or flavoring I find it hard to believe that an all-natural blend would burn this hot. Given that this is such an old and respected blend I was tempted not to review it as I did not want to offend. That said, it is, after all, only my opinion.

okay, i must rewrite my review almost completely. i wrote the first one about two years ago when i had just started smoking englishes etc., and i had no idea how spicy and interesting they can (and, imo, should) really be. i found the oriental leaf in 7 reserve quite interesting, and that's what they'll probably be to most va or vaper smokers. alas, now that i've tried a lot more of what's available, i find it rather lacking in character and strength.

i'm sure it's a fine introduction to the realm of oriental tobaccos. it worked for me.

I stumbled upon this blend by accident. I ordered 5 tins of HOTW and somehow Rattray has managed to tin this blend with a HOTW sticker on the tin.

Smokingpipes.com stood by their customer and offered to send me my HOTW and said i could keep the tins of this stuff.

This blend is probably the perfect example of an all day smoke. Just like it said on the tin.

Unlike many other blends i have seen, it does not announce to be anything other than an all day tobacco. For that i give it full marks because it is perfect in that regard.

As a relaxing sit down in the evening smoke, this simply is too dull and boring. I taste the Virginia with the Oriental and Latakia popping in and out from time to time. It is not complex and it does not try nor pretend to be anything other than an all day tobacco and should be rated as such.

I must say up front that I do not have an "all day" tobacco. I can handle one tobacco for my first three bowls, which gets me through to lunch, and then feel the need for something different. That being said, 7 Reserve lives up to its tin description of being Red Rapparee's little brother.

If there is Latakia lurking hereabouts, it does a great job of hiding. A bit here and there, but not a dominant seasoning.

An Oriental-forward smoke, with a very solid Virginia base. Somewhat bitey at first, but only a brief nip. The Virginias are more light and toasty than rich and creamy, and play well with the Turks.

I like it, but it gets boring after three bowls and leaves me craving Latakia. And nicotine.

This stuff isn't too bad, Its a bit nippy on the tongue, Cannot detect much if any Latakia. Low octane Nicotine, moisture content seemed perfect for me, 2 lights , nice burn, tin aroma is fairly mild, not unpleasant, Room note is Ok, won't chase away your freinds, Price was right, won't break the bank, This would be great on a fishing trip or perhaps camping, Should go well with a nice Pilsner or Pale Ale. Probably won't buy it again, but a smoker can do alot worse

Very nice mild English blend that can be smoked all day. Reminded me of Rattray's Professional Blend (haven't tried Red Rapparee. Can not say what was different than Professional since it was a while back but did detect the similarity from my memory) Very moist when I opened the tin. Very nice burn with a white ash. Did not experience a tongue bit as some reviews indicate. Is a good change from a full latakia when needing a change or when one wants a bit more spice and oriental from a straight Virginian. Can qualify as a regular for me.

On my second tin now and decided to add to the review. This is always a delight to smoke. It is a tobacco that qualitifes as an all day smoke. If I had to pick one blend and brand (which I never have to do since I keep a selection for different times,,,the joys of pipe smoking...but if I had to do this and was stranded on an island, this would be the one. I never tire of the taste and nothing sticks out to make it so special...just consistant and nice!

As mentioned by other reviewers, this blend is not a Latakia powerhouse. Instead, it is a fine mixture with its principle emphasis on Virginia and the Lat used as seasoning. I find this works best in a larger bowl.

This review should be read in conjunction with my experiences with Red Rapparee. I have taken the liberty of pasting that review with my update for better clarification

Somebody on the Red Rapparee page commented on this tobacco as being "like Presbyterian Mixture without the plum taste". They were spot on and to be congratulated, it was the plum note in PM which stopped that tobacco becoming my number one regular smoke. Red Rapparee from Rattray's is the answer to my long search. I have always liked English mixtures, Dunhill 965 was always my regular smoke, until that is, it became unavailable here in the UK. I have tried most of the other Rattray's offerings and find most of them very even tempered, nothing to write home about buy OK. RR is all together different.

This is an update- I read reviews on 7 Reserve Medium and as you will note RR has the same constituents as 7 Reserve but 7 Reserve is blended for the all day smoker. I have tried 7 Reserve in the past but although agreeable and mild mannered it lacked something- the solution- blend it 60% 7 Reserve 40% RR. Perfect an all day smoke with a little more oomph. With regard to tongue bite, yes it can bite a bit if smoked thoughtlessly but given due respect I noted no bite, also good room note and decent outdoor performance- very highly recommended

If you like VA/oriental blends you will like this one! But if you want a solid Virginia look nothing but HAL O THE WYND or of course FULL VIRGINIA FLAKE from S. Gawith. Good stuff but not good for me..

I think that this tobacco has a perfect balance between orientals and virginias,very easy to smoke and it can be smoked all day long. from my point of wiew it's one of the best rattrays tobaccos. Smoke is cool and tasty

It is true that this tobacco is a mild version of Red Rapparee and it actually tastes like it for the first 1/4 bowl. After that, it becomes dull. The high quality Oriental blend turns into a flat English with no body whatsoever. Also, tongue bite is incredibly strong for a non-aromatic.

I see no reason for smoking this tobacco with so many great options out there. Probably only good for a corncob when I'm short in time.

I grow weary of reviewers who don't smoke a tobacco on its own merits. If you want Pirate Kake, Penzance, or Nightcap, this is NOT it.

However, if you have enough tastebuds left to enjoy a well behaved, tasty, top quality mild English blend, then pick up a tin and give it a whirl. This would make a fine introduction to Latakia, and is an excellent hot weather English.

This loses a star because it is just too wet in the tin. For the premium price that is paid, one gets far too little tobacco, and far too much water.

I just sampled a bowl of this blend that I've had sitting around in a mason jar for quite some time... Its an interesting taste... The aroma and taste is similar to that of McClellend 5100 Red Cake... I couldn't determine if this was an aromatic blend or not... I don't think it is... Over all I thought it was pretty good...

7 Reserve is, quite simply, a mild English blend suitable for all day puffing as the descriptive states. Personally, I do not find much similarity at all between 7 Reserve and Red Rapparee, which is much stronger and frankly, a little harsh according to my taste buds.

I like more strength than 7 Reserve offers (and, more flavor,) but I certainly would suggest this tobacco to anyone who enjoys Latakia in small doses.

One final thought, I smoked some 10 year old 7 Reserve a few months ago and then some from a fresh tin a few weeks ago. I noticed a tremendous amount of difference in the moisture content. The recent vintage was practically dripping wet while the moisture content was perfect in the older stuff.

A civilized, understated Balkan/English. Comparable to Dunhill's Standard Mixture Mild (now Mellow, I believe). Denuded of any aggression, a pleasant smoke though in the latter part of the day one searches for something a little more assertive.

This polite English is an excellent introduction for the beginner seeking to cultivate a sense of understated elegance in this catagory of blends. It is also a good go-to blend for the more experienced smoker who wants something with a sense of heritage. Cool burning and sweet, it can be enjoyed anytime of day or nite. The blender's experience shows most notably in the treatment of the Virginia leaf and the restraint used in proportions of Cyprian and Oriental. Age brings an increased smoothness to the quality of this smoking experience. This blend has always been a great standby and comfort to me as I think it should for anyone.

Burned-out on Latakia? Tired of not being able to taste anything after smoking Penzance or Old Ironsides? Then this may be just what you need. Very smooth and tasty with the different tobaccos passing in review. An all-day smoke for sure.

This tobacco is much nicer than Red Rapparee, though it misses the strength. But it has the flavour of Oriental and a touch of Perique, both of which I like very much. You do not get the Latakia blast as you do from 965, Paul Olsen's Blue Queen, and similar mixtures, but the Latakia is there. The Virginias may seem a little bit too sweet, but still pleasant. A good tobacco for the next steps of the beginner in the Mixutre Fields. Bumbum.

7 Reserve is billed as a light blend suitable as an all-day smoke. I have to agree.

It starts off fairly spicy, but before the 1/3rd mark the Virginias kick in and tone down the Oriental spice, even taking the lead from time to time. From that point, everything settles down and you are in for a relaxing smoke that is easy to enjoy. The room note is relatively mild. There are no surprises, 7 Reserve is well behaved. The Latakia is what I would call ultra-mild, and stays well off in the background from beginning to end.

The finish is unremarkable; the smooth flavor just slowly fades away. I smoked it very well dried, and when I was done, the pipe was nice and dry. Burns clean and dry, never any hint of a bite. A little light for me, but not something I would avoid.

To me this is a very good light to middle english. It is soft and round and just full of flavor. For some who are usualy into heavy english blends this may be to soft or mild. The tobacco in this blend is of very high quality and burn rate is very good. The latakia in this blend is present but not as assertive as some of the other english blends in this line. I love to smoke this when I am in the mood for a mild to medium english blend. Very good and highly recomended.

I would say this is a strange tobacco. In theory this is a milder version of Red Raparee, designed for the constant and not the intermittent smoker. In fact it is the exact opposite of G.L. Pease?s Renaissance. I tried it some years ago, when looking for a change of pace from the Latakia based mixtures I usually smoked (London Mixture/965/Balkan Sobranie Original).

The tobacco is indeed very good, savoury, piquant and easy to smoke. It comes ribbon cut, but it doesn't exactly follow the usual composition of an English blend. There is of course Latakia and Virginia, but the stronger accent is on the Turkish. The Virginias used are of a very tame nature, and the Latakia (Syrian I believe) is very discreetly applied.

Though I did like its flavour and its burning rate, the overall structure of the mixture seemed to me a bit on the dry side, making it rather harsh at the end. I found it had a somewhat astringent effect: it produced an itchy feeling on the palate and it made me very thirsty (a perfect excuse to wash the flavour down with one or two pints of Murphy's!). I also felt it lacked the roundness and depth of other English mixtures, as if something was missing. As a result, I never really felt satisfied with its flavour, wishing for more but at the same time weary of its desiccating effects. Not really an elegant and refined smoke, and IMO definitely not an all day smoke. An interesting Oriental experience, but would not classify it amongst the best English mixtures.

Tin Aroma: Very light, almost non-existant. Almost a metallic sort of tinge to it. This is, as advertised, a medium strength English blend. Nothing outstanding about it, but nothing conspicuously missing either. There is a hint of spiciness here, just to keep it interesting. Not out in front spiciness, just a little bit of tickle the nose spicy. Definately a blend that one could smoke all day without a problem. I have been searching for a few blends such as this recently, and am glad to have found something from Rattray's that fits the bill, as I quite enjoy most of their offerings. This is perhaps the least 'interesting' of their blends, and that itself is what is interesting about it. whereas other of their blends have one standout quality overall, 7 Reserve is so well-balanced that it becomes hard to pick out any one thing about to focus your attention (or review) on. No overtone flavors of chocolate or dates or raisins, no spicy perique madness, just an english tobacco, like a mellow friend that you can just share space with, conversation not necessary.

For me, this is another disappointing tobacco from Rattrays. Once again, like some of their other blends, it's got too much peppery Perique included. I've seen this tobacco described as a 'mild english'. Well, that's not the case for my taste buds. There might be a nice mild english somewhere in the tin, but that's been covered up by too much spice.

Imagine a customer who goes into a restaurant and orders a nice meal. When the meal is brought to the table the customer then picks up the pot of pepper and sprinkles it liberally all over the meal, so much so that all the talents of the chef are completely covered up by the excessive pepper. That's what this blend from Rattray is - a nice mild english that's been smothered with peppery Perique or some other oriental tobacco.

This tobacco will probably be great for someone who likes lots of pepper on their meals, or who thinks nothing of ordering a very hot Vindaloo with extra chillies. I like my food, and I like pepper. I don't want my food completely overwhelmed by pepper. That's what's happened in the blending of this tobacco.

Found it in my storage, almost forgotten after years. Typical English blend smell after pop the 100-gram tin, easy to pack & light. I used to light with a small flame at bowl center instead of a full burning, after a while of pleasant a Va starter, Latakia rich smoke joined in, made it stronger & hotter. It's in general dry & flat, not complex as Dunhill mixtures, easy all day puffing for Mild English fans.

I tried this after being impressed by their black Mallory and this proved to be lovely also ! Very similar to the Mallory only more phlegmatic in taste ! After a few bowls it is one I will purchase again ! A lovely fruity fragrance and a hint of plum and raisin when lit ! A lovely accompaniment to a good book ! Well worth a try ....enjoy !!

Like its companions Accountant Mixture/Jocks Mixture/Highland Targe/3 Noggins, I think that this blend has too little latakia and orientals and has a dull taste. Really, it's quite boring and gray. Anyway, this is probably the best of the bunch as it's quite decent to smoke throughout the whole day: for example it doesn't have the mouth-drying heaviness that 3 Noggins has (while being almost equally weak flavored), and doesn't turn bitey and nasty as Jocks, or as boring as Accountant (well, almost...). It burns quite well, being cut in a nice way and not too moist: sometimes it may be fine to smoke such a light EM, when you don't want something that catches your attention. While unmemorable and eneventful, it's quite balanced and at least smokable, alternately sweet and smoky... albeit in a light way. So, dull or simply a subdued exercise in understatement? I'll leave the judgement to you: I won't buy it again, but if I had to save one from the above mentioned Rattrays, this would be the one as it's the most pleasant and "middle of the road"